Being that I've lived in Harlem for about 5 years now, it's only fitting that we stay on the look out for the true hot spots in the area with delicious food, a cool atmosphere or the best bang for your buck.
On this particular Saturday evening I took on Central Harlem; with one of my best friend's, which is in the midst of an extremely noticeable face lift in every way. New restaurants, lounges, cafe's, shops and condos are popping up like flowers in the spring. Opening it's doors just a year ago, Bier International, took a big chance in such an upcoming area, as the first beer garden amongst very few eateries and hangout spots in the immediate area; as it planted it's seed on Frederick Douglass Blvd. (8th ave) between 112th and 113th streets. But not surprisingly the folks flocked to this new spot, and seem to still be excited about such a great addition and option in the area.
Its a clean, crisp place with white and taupe walls, but added a rustic and laid back feeling with the wooden tables and benches. Of course the decor and vibe is cool and all, but we really came here to try the food. To see if this will be a place to recommend to others and frequent ourselves. After perusing the menu for a bit of time and taking in the scene we decided to first go with their Thuringr, the veal and pork sausage with spicy mustard and truffle french fries. Well we are in Germany right, so we have to get the sausage; well a German beer garden, but still. The sausage was tasty, but the spicy mustard it came with was a must for every bite for a bit more depth to the flavor. The kicker of the dish for me were the truffle french fries, just delicious. Although its a staple dish for the beer garden, it didnt impress me enough to want to have it again; and you can get the truffle fries as a side order, so I wouldn't be missing out. Our second dish was the Catfish tacos- the winner for the night, hands down. 2 medium size flour tortillas with seasoned chunks of catfish, caramelized onions and peppers with a cream sauce. Now, this was the perfect meal to end the night with. The tacos were flavorful, the veggies were perfectly cooked and crunchy and a refreshing spring salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the side complimented the dish well. So if your into fish, and tacos, go for the Catfish tacos on one of your visits.
The staff this night were very friendly and extremely knowledgable about the dishes and beers they offered. The place was bustling and loud, so be prepared to talk with your outdoor voice, as the noise level gets up there. But with a few of their beers, I'm sure your voice will start to reach a high level on its own, you'll fit right in. A great place to go with friends and with the close tables including long picnic tables that can sit more than one group, its definitely a place to meet new people.
The only bummer is that its cash only- which we didn't find out until we had our cards out and ready to pay. As someone who rarely carries much cash, it would have been great and appropriate to know about that as we were seated. But with that said, Im glad a place like this has entered the Harlem world. Although there is new competition for this first beer garden of Harlem, I think they have found a good routine that will keep them going for a long time. If your looking for a bustling, hotspot, a place to go with friends, watch a game, maybe meet other people, an option to sit outside, chug down a huge beer and eat pretty good food and your in this area; you should definitely try this place.
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